palashcbiswas,
gostokanan, sodepur, kolkata-700110 phone:033-25659551
From: Dr.Muhammad Mukhtar Alam <mukhtaralam2000@yahoo.com>
To: Discussion Forum for Global Justice <discussion@globaljusticemovement.net>; "FixGov@yahoogroups. com" <FixGov@Yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sun, 6 June, 2010 11:28:03
Subject: [GJM] Distributive Justice for Access to Land for Ecologically Safe and Socially Cohesive Future of Illinois/Re: FW: [globalnetnews-summary] Illinois: A State in Crisis
Ecologically Safe Carbon-neutral communities seeking livelihoods primarily based on renewable resources such as land, water ,forest as it existed in the past would be the future too across the continents, if these are saved from nuclear and ecological disasters. Mary, I guess these figures of unemployment are among landless in US especially in the urban areas and if access to land as source of livelihoods for growing food is guarunteed to all landless households employing a sort of land ceiling act in US, much of this poverty and unemployment generated would vanish. Some states in India took this measure for granting access to land to landless in regions where population of landless swelled as overaccumulation was not challenged during the colonial and pre-colonial regime. Petro-modern machines would be removed and men and women would jobs to do in the post-carbon era.
Dr.Muhammad Mukhtar Alam58-C, Top Floor,DDA Janta Flats, Ashok Vihar-III,Delhi-110052,India
Tel:+9968345380
http://slideshare.net/mukhtaralam
http://transitionurbanindia.ning.com
http://ecostrategiccommunicators.ning.com
http://muhammad_mukhtar_alam.tigblog.org
http://architectsofanewdawn.ning.com/profile/DrMuhammadMukhtarAlam
From: mary rose <maryrose333@att.net>
To: "FixGov@yahoogroups. com" <FixGov@Yahoogroups.com>; discussion@globaljusticemovement.net
Sent: Sun, 6 June, 2010 10:42:17 AM
Subject: [GJM] FW: [globalnetnews-summary] Illinois: A State in Crisis
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Sent: Saturday, June 05, 2010 12:58 PM
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Subject: [globalnetnews-summary] Illinois: A State in Crisis
Illinois: A State in Crisis
http://www.countercurrents.org/lendman050610.htm
By Stephen Lendman 05 June, 2010
This writer's earlier articles addressed greater social misery in America
than since the Great Depression, because of unemployment, homelessness,
hunger, bankruptcies, despair, and rising poverty levels.
According to the National Academy of Science, 47.4 million Americans were
impoverished in 2008, 15% of the population, but the true number is much
higher since the government's income threshold is $22,000 for a family of
four, way short of what's needed throughout urban America where even half
again as much is too little.
Illinois is a microcosm of the nation. Facing the largest per capital
budget deficit in America, equal to half its operating budget, it's in deep
crisis, one of many problems being poverty, the issue the Heartland
Alliance addressed in its May 5 report titled, "2010 Report on Illinois
Poverty," deepening under budget-balancing social safety net cuts, making a
bad situation worse for growing numbers throughout the state, suffering
under dire economic conditions, exacerbated by bad public policy.
The Heartland Alliance "advances the human rights and responds to the human
needs of endangered populations - particularly the poor, the isolated, and
the displaced (in search for) a more just global society" - no easy task in
today's environment, in Illinois or throughout the nation, given that 32
states are officially insolvent, including Illinois, and nearly all of them
are severely challenged.
Years of Mismanagement Pushed Illinois Over the Edge
The state's budget crisis threatens vital services like food stamps and
unemployment insurance, besides healthcare, education, and various programs
for the needy, under consideration for cuts or elimination.
The combination of material hardship and high unemployment threatens to
impact Illinois' economy for years, yet will worsen from draconian
counterproductive measures, the very policies earlier enacted with new ones
being considered.
Illinois Poverty in 2008
Based on US Census poverty guidelines, over 1.5 million Illinoisans are
impoverished (44% of them in extreme poverty), or 12.2% of the population.
Another 16% are at risk, a potential 28.2% total, or over 3.5 million
people, and those numbers are conservative. Among them are over half a
million children and one-third of the state's Blacks, another half million.
Given the woefully out-of-date federal $22,000 threshold for a family of
four, the true problem is far greater, likely double the official numbers
or higher, showing dire Illinois conditions that reflect the state of the
nation - worsening, not improving.
Other Heartland figures show:
-- nearly one million Illinoisans unemployed or underemployed, and many
more have stopped looking altogether;
-- in the last decade, offshoring cost thousands of high-paying
manufacturing and other jobs, replaced with lower-paying service ones; from
2000 - 2008 (before the economic downturn's full impact), 168,500 service
jobs replaced 203,000 manufacturing ones, a trend very much evident
nationwide;
-- nearly one in five working age Illinoisans live in extreme poverty;
-- workers with less than a high school diploma are nearly four times more
likely to be unemployed; 54% of working age adults in extreme poverty have
a high school degree or less;
-- despite their known benefits, early childhood programs are being
eliminated, likely when the Illinois Preschool for All program expires in
summer 2010;
-- one in eight adults avoided doctor visits in the past year because of
cost;
-- 52% of Illinois school children qualify for free or reduced cost school
lunches, an indication of impoverished families; the 2008 number was 42%
higher than in 2000, and today it's much higher still;
-- impoverishment means doing without health insurance and doctor visits
when needed;
-- 50% of Illinoisans choose between paying for food or utilities like heat
in winter;
-- 44% decide between buying food or paying rent or mortgages;
-- for 36%, the choice is between food and medicines and medical care;
-- in March 2010, one of every 371 Illinois homeowners got a foreclosure
notice; a far larger percentage is at risk;
-- residents with disabilities face severe cutbacks in benefits; many can't
meet expenses for rent, mortgages health care, and other essentials;
-- from mid-2006 - mid-2008, the number of homeless children enrolled in
public schools increased 32%;
-- nearly one-fourth of state residents have no savings, checking or money
market account;
-- the average Illinoisan is over $11,300 in debt;
-- one of every seven state households is in extreme asset poverty, having
zero or negative net worth and no ability to handle emergencies;
-- over 20% of Chicagoans are impoverished, another 21% at risk; suburban
areas are also heavily impacted, though less than the city proper;
-- around 40% of region households earn less annually than $50,000; given
the area's high cost of living, they're effectively impoverished based on a
September 2009 University of Washington School of Social Work Research
Center & Center for Women's Welfare Social IMPACT study showing the minimum
family need, in the eight regional counties, to make ends meet is $52,000
in Chicago; in suburban DePage county, it's nearly $62,000;
-- metropolitan Chicago has been hard hit by job losses, declining incomes,
and increased home foreclosures and bankruptcies, the same pattern common
nationally; and
-- 52% of regional residents in extreme poverty aren't employed, including
seniors, the disabled, and children.
Hearland noted that its project began earlier when America was prosperous
and future prospects looked favorable. Their recent annual reports caution
that earlier good times haven't continued, nor were all boats lifted while
they lasted.
Today's situation is dire. "The Great Recession has crumbled economic
stability for millions of families" though loss of jobs, incomes and
benefits, homes, businesses, savings and futures. And as always, those
hardest hit will be slowest to recover, and many won't ever make it.
Most study data was the latest available through 2008, so didn't fully
capture today's conditions. Nonetheless, "the magnitude of hardship
reflected here is staggering," and suggests much worse ahead next year.
For growing numbers in need, what's coming "will be nothing short of
devastating" because lawmakers are fighting hard times counterproductively,
cutting back when stimulus is needed. The result, of course, is predictable
- hard times for years to come. Perverse governance is the problem, harming
millions of the most vulnerable, their numbers growing exponentially
because nothing is being done to help them - in Illinois or nationally.
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at
lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. Also visit his blog site at
sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to cutting-edge discussions with
distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive
Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays
at noon. All programs are archived for easy listening.
http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour/.
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58-C, Top Floor,DDA Janta Flats, Ashok Vihar-III,Delhi-110052,India
Tel:+9968345380
http://slideshare.net/mukhtaralam
http://transitionurbanindia.ning.com
http://ecostrategiccommunicators.ning.com
http://muhammad_mukhtar_alam.tigblog.org
http://architectsofanewdawn.ning.com/profile/DrMuhammadMukhtarAlam
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